Re: Testing for (in)competence

["Robert W. Jones" <shaka -at- NETCOM -dot- COM>]

I happen to be a twofer - Black and 40+. I am past counting  the
number of times that I have been asked to take a just-in-time made up test.
In any court of law these test would be folly. Can you imagine a pubs
manager in a court of law giving testimony about a test they made up when
said manager is not a test expert...my Gawd, any lawyer worth his or her
salt would eat that manager alive. I am sure most of these test/cases
are settled out of court.

Thank you for sharing your horror story with me. 3 weeks ago I had an
interview with a company in Alameda, CA. I was to see the
employment office and the hiring manager. Employment gave me the standard
application. The application requested that I list my last jobs for the
past 5 years *or* since high school. Jan I am a 1966 HS grad! I gave my 5
year history. The employment officer became irate. She asked me just what
is a Technical Writer? That question sent me to Mars because I am
thinking is this a trick question or is this lady stupid? I gave her my
dictionary type answer. Then she asked why I did not give a complete
history of my employment. I explained to her that I gave the answer per
the application. She abruptly ended the interview and walked away. I
asked questions, but I got no answer. She continued to walk. I returned
to her office and took back my resume/application and tore it up. She
called security, but I walked very quickly out and away with my torn papers.
No, I did not get the job, but who needs hell and abuse.

Jan, I think a lot of folks will eat shit and give/take any abuse even in
our beloved trade.

On Thu, 2 Mar 1995, Jan Boomsliter wrote:

> I was asked only once to write a test piece during an interview.  When
> I was left in the room with paper and pencil (I'm not making this up!),
> I went to find a phone to call the agent who set up the interview (she
> hadn't been informed of any "test"), told her to tell the agency that I
> don't write with a pencil, I don't take tests, and that I
> wonder if they are assuming that I lie and cheat because that's what
> they do.

> The agent apologized profusely.

> I advise others to never take a "test" that's been cobbled up in-house.
> Testing is a science, and you are putting the only thing you have -
> your reputation - on the line with something that has no proven
> results.


> FWIW,
> jb
> ============================
>  Unless your test can pass muster with with legal and test experts, you
>  may be getting your company into tort city of legal suits now  or
>  later. You test/case could pass muster with your legal and test experts and
>  still get a big kick in the pants in court if your company and or
>  department has a history of being bias against certain groups.

>  On Thu, 2 Mar 1995, Geoff Hart wrote:

>  >      << Geoffrey Marnell <gmarnell -at- OZEMAIL -dot- COM -dot- AU>
>  >      << Suppose that there is no accreditation process to help you select a
>  >      << technical writer for a new project. Suppose, too, that you want to
>  >      << create a simple test to help you select the best technical writer
>  >
>  >      Geoff: (Nice name!)
>  >         It's interesting to see debate on whether we should be tested for
>  >      competence as part of the job interview process. Since I've never been
>  >      interviewed without a test (always oral, usually written), I'm
>  >      surprised to see that there's any debate on this at all! Nowadays,
>  >      with dozens (if you're lucky) or hundreds of applicants for each good
>  >      writing job, you've got to come up with some way of eliminating the
>  >      "poseurs".
>  >         Selecting a good writer isn't as hard as it sounds... or to be more
>  >      precise, excluding the bad ones is easier than most of us think. Since
>  >      you specified the context of an accounting manual, try this test: Ask
>  >      the applicant to document how s/he fills in a deposit slip at the bank
>  >      when the deposit comprises cash (rolled coins and bills), money
>  >      orders, and cheques, and when there will be a cash withdrawl at the
>  >      same time. In your instructions you should hint (but don't specify)
>  >      that the depositor should also keep a record to update his/her
>  >      bankbook, and if they do so (and add text on balancing the checkbook
>  >      records) treat this as a bonus. Anyone who takes more than one page to
>  >      document this procedure, or who can't do it _well_ in one page, should
>  >      be excluded unless there is some justification for greater length
>  >      (e.g., lavish illustration of the text with images of the deposit slip
>  >      and detailed explanation of the fields, which would demonstrate the
>  >      person is at least somewhat visually literate).
>  >         Hope this helps!
>  >      --Geoff Hart  #8^{)}  <--- attempt at visual literacy
>  >